F1 Heads to Apple TV in $750M U.S. Streaming Deal

Formula 1 and Apple are teaming up for a major five-year deal that will make Apple TV the exclusive home for F1 in the U.S. starting in 2026. The deal, reportedly worth about $750 million, will bring all races, practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and sprint events to Apple TV. Subscribers won’t have to pay extra—everything will be included with the standard Apple TV+ subscription. Some sessions, including select races and all practice rounds, will also stream for free on the Apple TV app.

This is Apple’s first full takeover of a global sport’s broadcast rights, though it already has streaming deals with Major League Soccer (MLS) and some MLB games. Unlike MLS, which requires a separate fee, Formula 1 will be part of Apple’s core streaming package.

Apple’s relationship with F1 began with “F1: The Movie”, starring Brad Pitt, which became a massive box office success, raking in over $630 million globally and now holding the record as the highest-grossing sports film in history. According to Apple’s senior VP of services, Eddy Cue, the movie played a big role in landing the broadcast deal. 

“One of the exciting things as I went to theaters, and we showed this in the U.S., the number of people that raised their hands when we asked them beforehand whether they had seen a Formula 1 race, and many had not,” Cue said. “And when we asked them after the movie, are they going to go watch a Formula 1 race? You know, everybody raised their hand.”

Cue added: “2026 marks a transformative new era for Formula 1… and we look forward to delivering premium and innovative fan-first coverage to our customers in a way that only Apple can.”

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali echoed the enthusiasm, calling it a “natural” fit. “We know the power that they have, we know the technology they have, we know that they share the same passion for F1.”

Apple plans to leverage its full ecosystem—Apple News, Music, Maps, Fitness+, Podcasts, and more—to push F1 to a broader, younger, and more diverse audience. In the U.S., 47% of new F1 fans are aged 18-24, and over half are women, according to the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey.

While the Drive to Survive docuseries will remain on Netflix, this new Apple partnership marks a significant media shakeup. F1's current U.S. rights holder, ESPN, had reportedly been paying about $85 million per year. Apple’s bid—almost double ESPN’s offer—was too much to match.

ESPN acknowledged the transition with grace. “We’re incredibly proud of what we and Formula 1 accomplished together in the United States and look forward to a strong finish in this final season,” it said in a statement. “We wish F1 well in the future.”

Commentary plans for the Apple broadcasts are still undecided. Apple may use existing feeds from F1 TV or Sky Sports, at least in the beginning. However, F1 TV Premium will be integrated into Apple TV at no extra cost for subscribers.

Though the move to streaming raises questions about audience reach, Domenicali believes the trade-off will pay off. “The question will be, how are we going to balance the reach versus the monetization,” he said, but emphasized Apple’s global presence and ability to grow the fanbase long-term. “As always, you need to start small and get growing.”

Cue, a lifelong Apple executive, called the moment one of the highlights of his career: “I feel like I’m on the podium, it’s amazing.”